


Of Home

by DruCarter_N7



Series: Ghost Ryder in the Sky [2]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Gift Giving, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-15 22:57:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10559106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DruCarter_N7/pseuds/DruCarter_N7
Summary: After Aya, Ryder wants to do something nice for Jaal. Things get emotional. And then they get physical.





	

To say Ryder was nervous was an understatement. Jaal had done things for her that no one else ever had. He had taken her to his childhood home, introduced her to his family, given his heart to her. At his favorite place in the universe, no less. Every time he even spoke, her chest would ache in the best of ways at the things he would say to her.

Sweet Jesus, she loved him. She had never felt this way about anyone, and now she had fallen in love with an alien who was unapologetic in his affections for her. He was nothing but good to her and she somehow felt unworthy of that. She hoped tonight would help to change that insecurity nagging at the back of her mind. She hoped this would be as meaningful to him as Aya was to her.

It had taken a lot of work and help from others to get everything together. Vetra had been able to acquire many of the parts she had needed to even start the project. Help came from Liam and the Moshae to get Angaran components that would work with Jaal's physiology. It had taken some assistance from Peebee since she was such a tech expert, and Ryder couldn't exactly go to Jaal for help since it was supposed to be a surprise for him. 

And then of course, SAM. 

It had taken a lot of effort but really she was just nervous whether or not it would be well received. Or if it would even be correct. She hadn't even tested it out but SAM had assured her that everything would work. 

Almost as if on cue, like the very mention of him caused a response, SAM spoke.

_'Pathfinder, I believe Jaal will recognize how important this is to you and find it to be an adequate gift.'_

Ryder grumbled as she paced the floor of her quarters. She sighed, and threw herself onto her bed, putting her face in her hands. "Thanks SAM," she replied, her voice muffled through her palms.

_'You are welcome, Pathfinder.'_

Sighing once more, she unlatched her hands and stared up at the ceiling. "SAM, could you send Jaal down here?"

_'Of course, Pathfinder.'_

Sitting up, she smoothed the nonexistent wrinkles in her pants as she waited anxiously.

The door to her quarters opened, and her tall, broad, alien boyfriend walked in. "Darling one," he greeted, giving her a wide smile.

"Hey handsome," Ryder replied, feeling her lips pull unconsciously into a grin as she stood to meet him. He strode across the room until he stood inches away from her, and placed his hand on her cheek. His smile widened as he pulled her close and brought her lips to his.

The bioelectricity that Jaal produced constantly left her slightly dazed. He always had a certain presence, extending farther than how he held himself. Even when he was standing a foot away, she could feel it. Their first kiss had been breathtaking and so had every kiss since. And when he had understood that she was still sensitive to the bioelectrical field he had, even though she wasn't Angaran? He'd been meticulously specific about using it. His hands, his lips, his tongue...

God, she was hopeless.

His lips parted from hers and he let out a low chuckle as her face flushed with heat. His thumb stroked her cheek lovingly and she felt herself sigh at the contact. "SAM said you wanted to see me?"

Ryder did her best not to tense up again. "Right," she said, "I almost forgot why I was so nervous." She bit her lip, unsure of herself, and felt her hands wring together as she stood with him.

Jaal's starry eyes, the ones she had fallen in love with from the very beginning, went wide in astonishment. "Nervous?" he asked, concerned. "Have I done something to make you feel this way?"

"No, Jaal, you haven't." Ryder shook her head, frustrated with herself for feeling like this. Leave it to Jaal to think he was the source.

Well he was, just not in the way he thought.

"No," she repeated, placing her hand on his chest. "You have been nothing but perfect, I promise," she said. For emphasis, she left a kiss on his chin, and then his cheek, his nose, and finally his forehead.

A pleased purr left his throat at her attentions and when she pulled away, his blue eyes opened completely to gaze at her. Her breath caught in her throat as the sapphire galaxies looking back at her reminded her of home, like they always did.

"Does this have anything to do with all of the sneaking around you have been doing lately?" he inquired.

It was her turn to be surprised. "Sneaki- How did you-"

Jaal chuckled, "You are terrible at hiding things."

Ryder huffed at that, crossing her arms over her chest and turning away from him. She took a few steps towards her desk and kept her back to him, unsure she'd be able to form a coherent sentence with him staring at her with his big doe eyes like that. "I... got you something. Or well, I didn't get it for you, I had to make it. Sort of. Some of it was already done. It was supposed to be a surprise but I guess I haven't been very sneaky. It's kind of a gift. But not like what you gave me on Aya, it's not nearly as special as that, I just..."

Her voice trailed off when she realized she had been rambling. So much for coherent sentences. Cringing internally, she turned apprehensively to glance at Jaal. His expression was a mixture of confusion and adoration and God if that didn't make it all the more harder. 

Ryder sighed, "I just... wanted to do something nice. For you."

Jaal simply smiled and stepped towards her, placing his hands on her arms, "I will cherish anything you give me, dearest. The fact that you wish to gift something to me at all is already special."

She huffed again, but smiled at him. "Okay," she said, taking his hands in hers. Leading him to the bed, she pressed the back of his knees to the mattress and spoke again, "You're probably going to need to sit down for this." 

He nodded but stayed silent as he sat and watched her curiously. She walked over to her desk and opened one of the drawers. "This might not even work, so if it's a bust-" she started but was interrupted when the SAM node next to her terminal lit up.

"I assure you, Pathfinder, it will work."

"Yeah, yeah. Alright SAM," she replied, waving him away. Taking one final deep breath, she reached into the drawer and pulled out two unique pairs of virtual reality glasses. A smaller pair for herself, and a larger, wide-set pair for Jaal.

She walked back over to the love of her life and nervously placed his pair in his hands. Sitting down next to him, she carefully reached up the side of his face and touched his visor questioningly. He looked at her and smiled, giving her silent permission, and she gently removed it. Setting it on her bedside table, she watched as he blinked a few times, his eyes adjusting to the change. Off-handedly, she had the thought that he was incredibly striking.

Glancing down into his hands, he tenderly thumbed the edge of the glasses before meeting her gaze quizzically. "What is it?" 

Ryder took a breath and explained, "They are... virtual reality glasses. Moshae Sjefa said that the Angara don't have anything quite similar so I had to make these ones particularly for you." She could feel her neck flush with heat as she spoke but she continued through it, knowing he would need an explanation. "It took some digging but I was able to find some components that would be compatible with your bioelectricity. These ones are specifically made with the goal of immersion so... I hope they work."

Jaal graced her with one of the wide smiles that she was so fond of. "I believe I understand," he said. "And what will we be immersing ourselves into?"

"You'll see," she replied. "Here, I'll help you put them on." Anxiously, her nimble fingers worked to set the glasses properly and comfortably against his skin. He must have sensed her trepidation because when she finished, he captured one of her hands in his grasp and brought it to his lips, the electricity dancing up her arm warmly.

Ryder shivered as he smiled secretively and released her. She shook her head and did her best to control the butterflies rapidly taking over her whole system. Taking a deep breath, she centered herself, and put on her own glasses.

It was... strange as first, they were standing next to each other in an empty, sterile room with long white walls. They were both in their civvies but she noticed that they weren't wearing the goggles. SAM must have set an algorithm that hid them from view so she could see Jaal's expressions. Like the current one of curiosity he had as he glanced around the room.

Before her mind could wander too far, she cleared her throat slightly and looked at him, "Right. You ready?"

Jaal smiled, "Ready." He grabbed her hand and she felt grateful for the grounding presence as she glimpsed around. 

"Okay SAM, go ahead."

It was like a dream the way the environment around her changed. It was almost hazy in a way at first and she was suddenly glad they had sat down because it made her vaguely dizzy. The room spun around them and the bare white walls began to take on colors and shapes. 

But when everything came into focus, Jaal's gasp was in time with her own. The empty room had disappeared completely and in its wake was a sight she never thought she'd see again.

They were standing in a field at the foot of a white-capped mountain. Tall grass swayed lazily in the faint breeze and the scent of pine from the nearby forest wafted around them. The sky was the same beautiful blue as Jaal's eyes, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. Sounds of robins chirping in the late afternoon broke through the gentle wind whooshing through the prairie around them. Warmth from the sun kissed their skin and she could have died right there at how beautiful the whole sight was.

And in front of them, less than a few hundred yards away, sat a house. White, with black shudders. A picket fence that needed to be repainted. A freshly mowed lawn and a garden in full bloom. The breeze caused a wind chime on the front porch to sing a few notes and she knew from experience that the wooden rocker underneath of it creaked slightly as well.

"Holy shit," she said softly, tears brimming her eyes. "It worked." 

"This is... wonderful. I have never seen a place like this in my life," Jaal replied. His voice was full of awe, and his eyes had widened as he took everything in. "Where are we?"

Ryder laughed nervously and blinked away the tears as much as she could, "Do you remember on Aya, when you asked me where my favorite place in the universe was?"

He nodded and squeezed her hand.

"This is it," she said, gesturing out the landscape.

"We are on Earth? In the Milky Way?" he wondered. His pronunciation of the words ‘Milky Way’ always made her smile and she nodded. 

"This is just a memory SAM helped me reconstruct, but yeah. That's where this is," she replied, trying her best to keep her jaw loose, and her throat from constricting. “We lived between here and the Citadel on and off when my mom got sick. It used to be my grandparent’s house so we kept it in the family even after they passed away when I was a kid. Whenever mom was up for it, we’d made the trip down to Earth and stay here for a while.” She let out of soft chuckle, “Dad would always fuss about it when mom argued that the fresh air was good for her health.”

A sparrow flitted by the two of them, cheeping at them as it passed. Jaal smiled and pointed up at it, his grin widening more and more as they looked on. His free hand skimmed the top of the tall grasses and she watched as he laughed in astonishment at the sensation. “I can actually touch that!” he exclaimed.

Ryder let out a relieved sigh, happy that the Angaran components had worked the way she’d intended them too.

"I feel the wind that you talked about," he said softly. He glanced over at her and his thumb ran over hers as he held her hand. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep, "What is that sharp scent? It is… refreshing."

Ryder nodded, "You might be smelling the pines in the distance. I always thought they smelled strongest after it rained. Or it could be the grass." She laughed at her own memory and smiled, "Scott must have just mowed before this. He loved doing all of the yard work…” Her voice drifted off as a sudden pain stabbed through her heart at the mention of her comatose brother.

Jaal opened his eyes to look at her and she glanced away, knowing if she met his gaze she really would break down into tears. A shaky breath entered her lungs and she squeezed his hand even harder, thankful he was here.

"I can't... I can't introduce you to my family. And I can't take you to one of my favorite places in the universe. It’s been six hundred years, that house probably isn’t even there anymore, but I...-" Ryder choked on the words slightly and her eyes watered once more. "I thought, I could at least try to show you. You've done so much for me, I just-"

"Ryder," Jaal said. His voice was heavy with emotion and when she glanced over to see his eyes shining brightly, the tears finally spilled over and onto her cheeks.

She reached up swiftly when her vision blurred and took the glasses off. The smell of pine and the faint breeze faded instantly and she did her best to wipe her wet eyes dry, but the tears just kept coming. At her side, Jaal took his off as well and began pulling her towards him. She let herself be lead into his chest as his strong arms wrapped around her.

Her shoulders shook with sobs as she cried into his rofjinn. Jaal’s hands massaged over her back, a pulsing energy that warmed her muscles. He kept his voice low as he spoke to her, some of it translating, some of it not. It was the first time he had ever seen her like this.

Hell, it was the first time she'd cried since being in Andromeda. 

Ryder choked on her sentiments and tried to take a breath. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't think that was going to be so hard. I wasn’t expecting all of those emotions to hit me at once."

Jaal pulled back from her slightly and met her gaze with his. "Ryder," he started, voice thick as he wiped her cheeks with his thumbs. "Do not ever apologize for the way you feel. And don't ever apologize for giving me something as beautiful as your memories. I could not have asked for a better gift."

She let out a small laugh and sniffled, attempting to pull herself together. "I just had the idea," she said, shaking her head. "I had a lot of help. Vetra, Peebee, Liam, SAM. Even the Moshae. So it wasn't just me."

"You asked all of those people to help make this possible?" he questioned, his eyes widening.

She shrugged shyly, "You've done so much for me. I just... it wasn't the real thing but I wanted to try to do something for you as well." She chuckled quietly, "I didn't mean to ruin it by crying all over you."

Jaal brought her in for another hug and let out a ragged breath. "You are... the most brilliant woman I have ever known. You could never ruin anything with tears, especially not something as special as that." Pulling away, he placed a hand softly on the back of her neck and stared. Her heart clenched as he continued, "I am so lucky to have fallen in love with a woman so passionate, someone who feels so deeply. Someone willing to ask for help to share something so wonderful. You are the true gift here, and I vow to treasure you for as long as you wish."

Ryder's breath caught in her throat and her heart hammered in her chest like it had on Aya. Like it had on Havarl. Like it had the day she met him. He had a way of stopping her in her tracks. He was looking at her with such adoration, such devotion, it made her heart soar.

It made it sing.

"Jaal," she said, losing herself in the galaxies in his eyes. "I love you."

His hand on the back of her neck rubbed small circles into her hair as he smiled, "And I love you." He pulled her towards him and her lips met his.

Pure bliss. That was the only way she could describe it. Her lips tingled and he hummed appreciatively as she returned his kiss with enthusiasm. Their first time had been blissful but cautious. They had worked on learning each other's bodies and basked in the fact that they had confessed to loving each other. But there was something a bit different this time. Something more... raw. And desperate. And she could tell because when she grazed her teeth lightly along his lower lip, his hum turned into a low moan. Which did absolutely nothing to quench the slow burning need pooling inside of her.

Ryder ran her nails down the side of his throat, earning a shiver and a half-choked sigh. She could feel her skin rising at his touch as he ran his hands slowly down her back. He kissed her languidly and her mouth opened to let her tongue meet his. It was hesitant at first but that was quickly remedied when instead of simply grazing her teeth along his bottom lip, she bit into it softly.

Jaal growled and his hands palmed her ass, lifting her into his lap. She gasped at the sudden change and couldn't help the moan that escaped her throat when he squeezed. Wrapping her arms around his broad neck, she deepened the kiss and her hips squirmed involuntarily against his. Jaal shuddered and his hands were sent roaming at the contact, one under the waistband of her pants and the other tangling with the hair at the base of her neck.

The desire warming her own body was only matched by the electric heat that was coming off of Jaal in waves. The whole room was pulsing with energy and passion. Her skin tingled and the air felt thick with electricity, like before a lightning strike.

The hand in her hair tightened and Jaal pulled her head back gently, exposing her throat to him and arching her back slightly. The angle caused her hips to lift a little and he took the opportunity to shift his other hand lower into her pants. Giving her ass a final squeeze, he pushed past it, set on an even more delicious course. His tongue laved at the pulse beating wildly in her neck, and at that same moment, his fingers slipped into her folds causing her to see stars.

"Oh God," she breathed, bucking against his hips and fingers reflexively, desperate for the friction. She could feel him getting hard beneath her and it only added fuel to fire she thought was going to suffocate her.

Jaal groaned against her throat as his fingers were coated with her want. He murmured against her skin quietly as his own hips began to move up to meet hers. He teased her opening with his thumb causing a faint whine to bubble out of her throat. When his index finger grazed against her clit, her whole body quaked in response.

"Jaal," she said, her voice husky. The hand in her hair loosened and she tipped her chin to glance down at his face. His eyes were hooded and the hunger she saw there caused her to shudder once more. "Jaal, I need you inside of me, please," she managed to mumble, her mouth almost not cooperating with the words she attempted to form. 

She wasn’t even sure she had said it until he nodded and slowly, almost disappointingly, withdrew his hand. He lifted both of them to stand, capturing her lips in a searing kiss and practically turning her knees to jelly.

When she was sure she could stand on her own, she let go of Jaal and began to undress herself. He set out to unbuckling his clothes as well, watching her intently as he quickly tried to rid himself of every garment. By the time she was undressed and standing in front of him naked however, he had gotten everything off but his pants.

She watched him do a double take when she shred the last of her clothing and his eyes roved every inch of her greedily, as if he was famished from the few seconds they hadn't been touching. He stepped towards her, already distracted from his prior task and ran his hands along her waist.

They kissed again, heated and wanting. Her fingers ran up his muscled arms and down the glorious expanse of his chest. Every touch was electric and hot and sweet Jesus she just wanted to ravish him with attention. She wanted him to beg and plead and shake. She wanted to kiss every inch of skin and claim it as hers before taking him in her mouth while he watched on in wonder.

But it seemed Jaal had other plans because when her hands roamed further south, he lifted her again and gently laid her down on the bed, pressing her back into the sheets. He crawled over her, and captured both of her wrists with one of his large hands. Pinning them above her head to the mattress, he took a moment to look at her.

There were a lot of things in his gaze. Desire, yes. But also love, and adoration. She marveled at how open he was with her, how his emotions were always so clear and honest. And she melted underneath him, giving a small smile as he looked at her. 

Her smile was returned and his empty hand made its way home to her cheek, thumbing the small dimple there. "You are breathtaking," he said, leaning down to kiss her.

She tried to lean up to meet him, eagerly wishing to continue, but his grip was firm and the weight of his body against hers held her down. His mouth crashed into hers anyways and their tongues entwined fervently. Ryder moaned softly, realizing he had placed his thigh strategically between hers. Her cunt rubbed against the soft fabric of his pants and she almost came undone right there, whimpering as she was trapped against his body.

Jaal groaned at her insistence, abandoning her lips to run his tongue along her throat. His mouth made its way up to nibble on an earlobe and his free hand moved down to touch a raised nipple. Twisting it gently in his fingers, he skimmed his palms over both breasts, causing her to squirm at his attention. His mouth moved back down to her pulse and he practically devoured it, leaving small bites only to sooth them with his warm tongue.

Ryder gasped lustfully and lost herself in the sensation of it all. Her wrists pinned to the sheets, his lips on her skin, his thigh captured between hers as she ground against him. Her head could think of nothing but the pleasure she was feeling but somehow she managed to fight through it. 

"Jaal," she tried again. "Please..." she begged.

This time he didn't continue the teasing. This time he took one look at her as she pleaded and practically tripped over himself as he went to stand up. His pants barely made it off before he was on her again. Later, she'd giggle about it, but right now all she could think of was how amazing he was going to feel inside of her now that his cock was finally released from its confines.

His need was as obvious as hers now and she couldn't help it when her now free hands reached down to wrap themselves around his length. Jaal's jaw went slack as he looked down at her, his eyes glazing over as she stroked him. The arms framing her head trembled as he tried to hold himself up and his breath was ragged.

"Darling one," he murmured softly, letting her lead him to her entrance. She rubbed against him teasingly for a moment, coating him with her slickness in a short moment of revenge for making her wait so long. His eyes squeezed shut momentarily until she wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed him down inside of her to the hilt.

And then she really did see stars. 

Jaal's eyes flew open and the galaxies staring back at her went wide as they both gasped. He fell to his elbows above her, wrapping his arms underneath her back as he waited for her to adjust. She stretched around him tightly and she had to grip onto him like a lifeline just to keep from orgasming.

He blinked at her, clearly trying to keep himself focused as well. When she felt she was ready, she nodded and he pulled out, almost completely, before snapping his hips and burying himself back into her pussy.

Sweet. Jesus.

"Shit," he moaned, the unlikely and new curse falling out of his mouth like a prayer.

"Don't- Don't stop..." Ryder pleaded, relishing in the delightful fullness she was feeling.

Jaal headed her cries then, bracing himself and setting a vigorous and merciless pace. Both of them moaned with abandon as their bodies climbed towards release. She gripped onto him as hard as she could, running her hands along the muscles in his back, feeling the faint pulsing of his skin underneath her fingers. His breath in her ear only urged her on as he slammed into her.

Her legs were shaking uncontrollably and she thought she was going to pass out from the amount of pleasure. His whole body sent electric tremors up her spine, across the base of her skull, through every bone in her body. It was like being drunk, the warm buzz in her brain causing a euphoric feeling. Every time his hips made contact with hers, she could feel the vibrations through his skin and she knew she wouldn't last long.

"Darling one," he moaned, "I- I'm close."

"Me too," she replied breathily. "Keep going." The words tumbled out of her lips before she could stop them and another gasp escaped her as she felt herself coiling tighter and tighter. Her eyes squeezed shut, hoping to drag out the pleasure as much as possible, not wanting this moment to end.

"Ryder," Jaal choked out, burying his face in her neck briefly. She felt him quickly lift his head though as he spoke again, "Ryder, look at me."

Her eyes opened to see him gazing down at her with such... reverence. Like she was a goddess in the flesh and he was worshiping her. The cerulean and deep indigo staring back at her searched her face, waiting for her to come undone, but not before then.

And she did come undone, feeling herself tip over the edge and then go completely slack in his arms. The warm buzzing in her body crested to a peak and spread as she orgasmed. She cried out, feeling her brows furrow, but refusing to break eye contact with him, knowing that's what he wanted. 

She watched as he broke as well, trembling above her as he hilted himself in her one last time. She clenched around him unconsciously as he spilled into her, noticing his eyes lose focus each time she did. His lips parted slightly and she couldn't help but feel pleased as he let out a low, breathy groan at the end.

They stayed like that for a moment, staring into each other's eyes as they both came down from their highs. Sensation eventually returned to her body and she shifted her arms to draw lazy circles on his back with her fingers. He hummed approvingly and rested his head on her chest when she began kneading his shoulders, working out the knots that had clustered there.

A few minutes passed before either of them spoke but Jaal was the first to break the comfortable silence. “Thank you,” he said softly.

She looked down to see his big, beautiful, sapphire eyes watching her. Ryder smiled, “For what?”

“For sharing that with me,” he replied, blinking earnestly at her.

“Well hopefully we can do that more often when we’re not too busy saving the galaxy, right?” she joked, deflecting like she sometimes did.

“No, darling one, I meant the memory of your home,” he conceded as he saw through her ruse. “You rebuilt a planet six hundred years away in another galaxy just so you could share it with me. That is worth more than you know.”

Her eyes burned again, but this time it was a good burn, and her smile widened as she looked at him. “I’m glad you liked it,” she said tenderly. “It was a wonderful place. But I knew I would find beauty out here as well,” she confessed. “That’s why I came to Andromeda. If I hadn’t, it wouldn’t have led me to you. And you’re the most beautiful soul I know.”

Jaal smiled lovingly at her and leaned up to kiss her sweetly. When they parted, she grinned again, “So, it was a good gift then?”

“It was the best gift I have ever received,” he replied, hugging her tightly and peppering her with kisses.

…

Later, with his arms wrapped around her tight and the beginning of sleep started to take hold, she wondered vaguely if she’d dream of a white house at the foot of a mountain and the smell of pine. But instead, she dreamed about eyes that looked like galaxies, and the feeling of blush colored skin under her fingertips.

Of home.

**Author's Note:**

> I have always wished that Shepard/Ryder could do something for the person they loved so I came up with this. Jaal is such a sweetheart and I really would love for my Ryder to be able to try and surprise him with her own kind of gift. Anyways.
> 
> Let me know what you think perhaps?? I always love hearing from you.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading. I appreciate it :)


End file.
